CRICKET: Shapwick & Polden lose out to league rivals Weston-super-Mare

SOMERSET and Netherlands paceman Paul van Meekeren took five wickets to consign relegated Shapwick & Polden to their 14th defeat of a tough season.

Shapwick batted first on Saturday after winning the toss and Steve Tinnion, fresh from his 143 against North Perrott the previous weekend, was straight back into the groove against a Somerset opening attack of Peter Trego and van Meekeren.

Tinnion lost his opening partner Sam Edmunds without scoring, however, and then departed himself having struck six fours and two sixes in his 27-ball 36.

James Venkatrao (24) and Oskar White (21) made starts but, once they had fallen, van Meekeren returned to run through the middle and lower order on his way to 5-30 from 10 overs.

Consequently, Shapwick were bowled out for 126 in the 29th over but they made an ideal start with the ball as Harry Woolway clean bowled Rob Turner and Shabil Ahmed for ducks.

Hopes were raised further when Peter Trego (6) was trapped in front by Oskar White before Woolway added two further scalps to finish with 4-30 from 10 overs.

Opener Scott Harris remained at the crease while wickets tumbled at the other end, with two for Callum Harvey (2-17) as Weston slipped to seven down.

Van Meekeren was the man to stay put with Harris, who finished unbeaten on 66 as the visitors got home with three wickets and 10.3 overs to spare.

Shapwick travel to Keynsham on Saturday.

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WEPL Somerset Division
Wembdon 251 beat Wellington 250 by 1 run

A DEVASTATING late burst by James Annison saw Wembdon to a thrilling victory at Wellington on Saturday.

Wembdon won the toss and elected to bat first, with Tom Brooks and Brendan Pope scoring 21 runs from the opening two overs.

In the third over, Brooks chased a wide delivery and edged to keeper Aks Latifi.

Pope and Sam Puddy added 27 for the second wicket with Pope the main threat, timing his drives to perfection.

However, Beal found the edge of Puddy with Latifi claiming his second catch.

Skipper Jon Brockwell joined Pope and they added 30 runs, Wembdon reaching 61 from the first 10 overs.

Wellington immediately took the pace off and introduced Hendy and Campbell.

Pope and Brockwell still managed the occasional boundary but, with Pope on 44, he misjudged a Hendy slower ball and was bowled.

Brockwell (20) was then caught in the covers and Hendy bowled Serame and Dan Bingham (14).

Wembdon were now 105-6 and would have taken 150 to 170 as a defendable total.

Jack Lowe (21) and Liam Pigden (26) steadied the ship but, when both were gone, Wembdon were on 167-8.

Mike Watts was now in and striking the ball cleanly; he found a partner in Max Sellick, who gave Watts the strike, and he did not disappoint, with five fours and nine sixes.

His 50 came from 25 deliveries and he went on to blast 84 from 41 balls, Wembdon posting 251 all out.

After tea, Wellington’s young opening pair were very watchful; 18 overs passed without a wicket and the home side on 55.

As pressure mounted, Roberts ran past Nkululueko Serame’s off-break and Pigden removed the bails.

Serame bowled Chambers (18) and Wellington now had 88-2 from 26 overs with opener Whitefield still there.

Whitefield posted his half-century but Bingham removed Hendy (26) and Wilkins before Sellick took the wicket of Campbell..

Wellington were now 160-5, requiring 92 from 72 balls.

Whitefield brought up a fine century but it was the reintroduction of Annison which decided the game.

He removed Whitefield with his fifth delivery, leaving Wellington on 217-6 with 30 deliveries remaining.

Annison then bowled Desave (13) and Moysey, but then Beal and Latifi struck boundaries and Wellington were now 233-8.

Beal and Latifi struck 16 off the next over and Wellington required two to win with two wickets in hand and 12 balls remaining.

Annison responded by bowling Latifi (16) and Campbell, for Wembdon to pick up a remarkable victory and Annison figures of 5-45.

Wembdon now have a 35-point lead in second place, and finish the season next Saturday by hosting Street at The Green (12.30pm).

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WEPL Somerset Division
Street 169-6 beat North Petherton 141 by 28 runs

NORTH Petherton look set to be playing Somerset League cricket next season after Saturday’s defeat at Street.

With three teams set to be relegated from WEPL Somerset, Pethy are 31 points adrift of their conquerors, now fourth-bottom, with just one match left to play.

Street elected to bat first upon winning the toss and saw openers Josh Kelly and Daniel Lake put on 64 to frustrate the visiting bowlers.

Ali Asif made the breakthrough, Lake caught behind by Owen Irish for 14, and the Pakistan Under-19 all-rounder went on to dismiss Kelly for 44 in a fine spell of 2-27 from 10 overs.

Pethy continued to chip away, with two wickets apiece for Liam Winter (2-35 off 10) and Lewis Knight (2-39 off 10), but Ben Trotman held firm from number three to end with 57 not out and lead Street to a competitive 169-6.

The visitors were on the back foot at 30-2 in reply after Lake removed openers Max Trevarthan (8) and Lewis Knight (14).

Asif and Paul Short then added 50 for the third wicket to put Pethy in a strong position - enter Liam Ward.

The Street bowler accounted for Asif (24), Short (26) and Owen Irish (3) in quick succession and suddenly the visitors, from 80-2, were 89-5.

Ward was not finished there, taking three more scalps to finish with 6-28 from nine overs in his match-winning spell.

Winter made a valiant 23 for North Petherton, who host Wellington in their final league game of the season on Saturday (12.30pm).